Shah addressed the 57th annual conference of All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) as the Chief Guest in Kokrajhar. Later in Guwahati Shah reviewed the implementation of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita with Northeastern states chief ministers. This meeting was attended by seven chief ministers and the Governor of Manipur. Manipur is under President’s Rule.
Shah said that All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) has played a significant role in establishing peace, development, and enthusiasm in the region. Without the role of ABSU, the Bodo Accord would not have been possible, and peace would not have been established in Bodoland. Shah also paid tribute to the five thousand martyrs who fought for the peace of Bodoland.
Shah said that today, when the entire Bodoland is following the path shown by its leader, Upendra Nath Brahma Ji, the government has decided to name a prominent road in Delhi as Bodopha Upendra Nath Brahma Marg. He also mentioned that in the first week of April, a programme will be held in Delhi where a bust of Upendra Nath Brahma Ji will be unveiled. He said, the Modi government and the Assam government will bring every dream of Bodopa Upendra Nath Brahma Ji to fruition.
Shah said that it is due to the efforts of ABSU that today, students are able to take their exams up to the 12th grade in the Bodo language. “As a result, our Bodo language has been recognized and will remain alive for many years to come. He further stated that today’s event sends a strong message of the peace established in Bodoland. When the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) peace agreement was signed on January 27, 2020, the opposition was mocking it. However, today, the central government and the Assam government have fulfilled 82 per cent of the conditions of this agreement. He further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India will implement 100 percent of this agreement in the next two years. After that, there will be lasting peace in the BTR”.
Shah said that under the BTR peace agreement, the government removed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the entire BTR area on April 1, 2022.He also mentioned that under the Government of India’s ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) programme, today, the mushroom from Kokrajhar, known as “Mushroom From Bodoland,” is being included in the menus of hotels in Delhi. This has become possible due to the peace established in Bodoland. He further stated that because of the peace, Bodoland was able to host the ‘Durand Cup’ tournament. He appealed to the athletes of Bodoland to start preparing for the potential Olympics in India in 2036.Shah said that more than a dozen products from Bodoland have received the GI (Geographical Indication) Tag. As a result, an industrial environment is gradually being created across the entire BTR area. He mentioned that there was a time when there were discussions about unrest, chaos, and separatism, but now the focus has shifted to education, development, and industry.
He added that the Government of India and the Assam Government have allocated Rs 1,500 crore for the development of Bodoland, even though the population of the region is only 3.5 million. He also mentioned that during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Bodo language was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Additionally, the BTR region was expanded to include the Sonitpur and Biswanath districts.
Shah said that hundreds of youths have been brought into the mainstream of society. Many weapons were surrendered, and in the last three years, Rs 287 crore have been spent on the rehabilitation of 4,881 members of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in Assam, with 90 per cent of this amount provided by the Modi government.
Shah further mentioned that a lot of work has been done for employment and skill development.Assam Chief Minister Sarma has made a new beginning by recruiting 400 Bodo youths into the Assam Commando Battalion. He further mentioned that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Government of India has signed agreements with a total of nine insurgent groups in Assam, bringing over 10,000 youths into the mainstream of society.
Shah said that where once bullets were fired, today Bodo youth are waving the tricolor in their hands. This sight sends a message to the entire country. He added that when the Bodo Accord was signed, not only Bodoland and Assam but the entire country was happy.
The Union Home Minister said that the Bathou religion, followed by the people of Bodoland, holds great significance. He explained that Bathou is made up of two elements, and its meaning is “the deep mystery of the creator of the five elements.” The five elements, or panchatatva, include fire, air, earth, sky, and water, which form the foundation of your great religion. He also mentioned that he strives to spread the message of the Bathou religion.
Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the entire Northeast has been freed from issues such as insurgency, movements, blockades, strikes, and violence, and has been ushered onto the path of development. He mentioned that recently, an Investment Summit took place under the leadership of PM Modi and Himanta Biswa Sarma, which is bringing an investment of Rs 5 lakh crore to Assam. He appealed to the Bodo youths to focus on their education and contribute to the peace process.
